EMT shares observations witnessing hospital shooting aftermath

For many people who were at the hospital campus Monday afternoon, it was an unsettling scene after the deputy involved shooting at Eisenhower Health.

Flashing lights and yellow tape was what EMT Robert Carter was met with as he entered the Eisenhower Health campus to pick up a patient, seeing the crime scene before him.

“Police were calling everybody and there were cars that were pretty much trapped in the perimeter that were trying to leave because the police had already set up the perimeter,” he said.

Carter heard what was unfolding over the radio.

“We heard dispatch call for CAL FIRE for a gunshot wound victim at the Desert Orthopedic Center,” he said.

It was an unsettling scene for Carter as he never seen a hospital shooting with his own eyes in his 18 years as an EMT.

“Especially like a shooter, cause you don’t expect that, you know going around and shooting people….you know shooting. It’s kind of scary,” he said.

Carter saying staff and patients that witnessed the deputy-involved shooting, were stunned.

“They’re were kind of shocked, kind of worried like ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe this happened,'” he said.

The emotions and gravity of the situation ran through his head.

“You know, I was wondering about the evacuations and the things we do for active shooter stuff…” he said.

Carter says he was able to get through to the patient and is being more vigilant while he’s on the job.

“I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open more.”